Australia Joins RAPPICC and signs with Seychelles on Cooperation to Prosecute Suspected Pirates
Seychelles Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport Press Release 
In the presence of the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Mr. Joël Morgan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Paul Adam and his Principal Secretary, Ambassador Maurice Loustau Lalanne, the British High Commissioner Mrs. Lindsay Skoll, members of the crew of the visiting Royal Australian Naval ship the HMAS Newcastle, and other invited guests, the High Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Australia, Ms. Sandra Vegting, signed the RAPPICC Partnership Agreement that saw Australia joining the RAPPICC this day.
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Australia & Seychelles Sign Cooperation Agreement aboard HMAS Newcastle
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By joining RAPPIC, Australia has committed to working with Seychelles and other member countries in intelligence gathering aimed at providing necessary evidence for prosecutions related to piracy activity in both the region and around the world.
Following the signing for the RAPPICC agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding on the Transfer of Suspected Pirates and Armed Robbers, was then signed by both the Republic of Seychelles and the Commonwealth of Australia, by Minister Joël Morgan signing for the Seychelles and for Australia, its High Commissioner, Ms. Vegting. The MOU will allow for the transfer of custody of suspected pirates captured by Australian armed forces in the region, to the Seychelles.
The PTA provides the legal framework for any transfers, and allows the Seychelles authorities, upon evaluation of evidence provided by the capturing forces, to accept the detainees for prosecution under Seychelles law or not.
The signing of both the Partnership Agreement for RAPPICC and the Suspected Pirate Transfer Agreement, are the result of on-going close cooperation between the two Governments in the area of maritime security, particularly as the two are Indian Ocean states.
After signing the RAPPICC Partnership agreement Minister Morgan said, “The Seychelles and our other partners in this effort, welcome Australia into RAPPICC. Australia’s signing of the Partnership Agreement for RAPPICC is an important development and a welcome one, as Australia will bring with it additional resources and expertise that is needed. The RAPPICC will continue to grow and to develop as we welcome other partners who will join RAPPICC adding their weight. We will not let it stand where it is today as the resource will grow so as to take on new challenges that transnational criminal activities may bring to our region and borders.”
Following the signing of the agreement between Seychelles and Australia on the transfer of those suspected of piracy the Minister said, “Australia’s commitment to peace and security in the Indian Ocean is evident in many ways. Aboard this Australian naval vessel which is in our waters supporting a greater mission and by the signing of this agreement, we are here united in effort, building on bonds of friendship and cooperation. To date both of our nations have committed much, and the Seychelles has lost much due to piracy. The signing today confirms in each other our resolve to see the greater mission through.”
Minister Morgan added that, while the number of successful pirate attacks may have declined, it was crucial that Seychelles remained vigilant so as to prevent the scourge of piracy regaining a foothold in the region.
The Minister also explained that, thanks to the mechanisms now solidly in place that allow for the transfer of convicted prisoners back to Somalia to serve out their sentences, he was confident that Seychelles could continue to play this vital role and fulfill its obligation to continue in the fight against piracy and protecting those whose livelihoods depend on a secure maritime zone.
“I am delighted to be signing this MOU and RAPPICC Partnership Arrangement today on board Australian warship, HMAS Newcastle that is visiting the Seychelles for this occasion. The humanitarian, security and trade impacts of piracy in the Indian Ocean are a great concern for Australia and the international community. The Australian Civilian Corps deployment to the RAPPICC will make a valuable contribution to the high priority objective of combating Indian Ocean Piracy,” said the Australian High Commissioner, Ms.Vegting.
Morgan chairs the Management Board of the multi-national centre, RAPPICC, and is as well the chairman of the High Level Committee on Piracy, HLCP.
Both agreements were signed aboard the visiting Royal Australian Naval vessel, the HMAS Newcastle, which departed the Seychelles a few days after to continue on her patrol assignments in the region.
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